A MAJOR new housing development on greenbelt land in the east of the city has moved a step closer.

The proposal by developers EDI Group, the city council’s arms-length property development company, would see 1300 houses and flats built on land north of Newcraighall Road and south of Milton Road East.

Officials have recommended that councillors approve the blueprints in principle when they go before the planning committee on Wednesday.

The development would feature a new primary school, a local centre with a range of community and retail uses as well as parks, allotments and play areas.

Eric Adair, operations and finance director at the EDI Group said, if that if the plans were approved, builders could be on-site by the end of next year.

He said: “We welcome the recommendation from the council’s planning officers to grant planning permission for the New Brunstane masterplan.

“As an allocated housing site within the council’s Local Development Plan, New Brunstane will create a new thriving community, providing a diverse mix of high-quality homes and amenities, set within a sensitively designed landscape.

“Should planning consent be granted for the New Brunstane masterplan, we will work hard to deliver the development and hope to be on site by end of 2018, bringing forward these new homes to help meet the city’s demand for new housing along with creating a new family friendly neighbourhood for Edinburgh.”

The Scottish Government has committed to building 30,000 new homes within Edinburgh by 2024 to address the growing housing crisis.

But local residents have raised concerns about the impact the rise in population in the east of the city will have on amenities in the area, traffic infrastructure and pressures on local health and dental services.

Colin Robb, of campaign group Brunstane Residents, said: “Traffic congestion in the area already struggles with the number of people using it. The constant building of new houses in the area just doesn’t make sense – we know that reality from living with it.

“There are bottlenecks on Harry Lauder Road and the City Bypass, which is jam packed in the mornings. It is difficult to see how it is going to be able to take an influx of traffic from 1300 households going in and out on a daily basis.

“We’re really looking for the committee to defer a decision until we have more clarity.”

And Councillor David Walker said: “I am disappointed that the application is still going ahead because I think there has been significant material changes to the application and it should have been delayed and put back out to allow the community to consult on these changes.

“They are being denied the opportunity and restricting the amount of feedback they’re able to make on the application.”